1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a device for trussing or retaining the hocks of poultry carcasses and more particularly to a retainer that can engage the hocks of a poultry carcass to retain the legs in juxtaposition during processing, packaging, shipping and possibly cooking.
2. Prior Art
As appreciated by those skilled in the art, the processing, packaging and shipping of poultry carcasses can be made easier by creating relative uniformity amongst trussed poultry carcasses. For example, if the hocks of poultry carcasses are protruding from the animal carcass, then the extending limbs can interfere with packaging machinery and tear the packaging material, which often is a thin polymer. Trussing the hocks, thereby holding the legs together close to the body, can help to avoid this problem. Additionally, trussing draws the poultry legs back and creates a visual impression that the poultry breast is larger, and therefore makes the trussed poultry more appealing to the purchaser. Further, it is easier to cook a trussed poultry carcass, especially on a rotisserie, as the legs will be retained against the body and not flop about. Similarly, as the poultry carcasses can be cooked more easily, there is an added benefit of trussing poultry carcasses to consumers, and this can be exploited by advertising by the retailer.
Over the years, many brackets, clamps, retainers, and similar devices have been developed for retaining or trussing the hocks of poultry carcasses during cooking, shipping, and processing, some in the past of metal and wire, but most recently of nylon or plastic. Not surprisingly, the prior art discloses many means for trussing the hocks of poultry carcasses. While the known prior art has advantages for certain situations, there is a constant need for poultry trussing devices that are less expensive to manufacture, are easier to mount on the hocks, are easier to dismount from the hocks, are less costly to ship, that hold the hocks more securely, and that can be mounted automatically if desired, or combinations of these. A few exemplary trussing devices are discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,538 to Volk discloses a retainer for poultry hocks having a central locking member cooperating with straps for positively securing poultry legs tightly against each of the hocks, together with anchors into kidney openings in the poultry backbone. U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,370 to Volk discloses a hock cap covering the entire hock wherein such a hock cap has a FIG. 8 structure with an ankle strap having a lower portion that engages the back side of the ankles. U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,274 to Volk discloses a snap-on ankle strap poultry-trussing device having a lower portion with an indent that extends upwardly between the exposed hocks of the carcass. The ankle strap is slipped over the exposed hocks, grasps the ankles of the poultry carcass, and holds them together. U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,880 to Volk discloses a method of trussing poultry by making slits in the skin and passing the hocks through the slits and then attaching a snap-on hock cap to hold the hocks together.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,201 to Volk discloses a retainer for poultry hocks that is formed as an oblong ring of a thin unitary plastic. The ring has a plurality of prong portions extending inward. The poultry hocks are inserted through the ring and the prongs engage the poultry legs so as to hold the hocks in juxtaposition. U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,736 to Volk discloses a retainer for poultry hocks that is formed as an oblong ring of a thin unitary plastic. The ring has a plurality of prong portions extending inward. The poultry hocks are inserted through the ring and the prongs engage the poultry legs so as to hold the legs substantially perpendicular to the retainer and parallel to each other. U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,778 to Volk discloses a retainer for poultry hocks that is formed as a ring of a thin unitary plastic material and has hinged flaps extending inward from opposite sides thereof. The poultry hocks are inserted through the ring to cause the flaps to bend outward and then to partially retract backward so that the edges of the flaps engage behind the hock knuckles, holding the thighs close to the body of the fowl. U.S. Pat. No. 7,175,518 to Volk discloses a retainer for poultry hocks that is formed as a unitary, plate-like member of resilient material that includes two openings for fitting over the hocks.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,014,553 discloses a device for retaining and trussing the hocks of poultry carcass in juxtaposition and proximal to the body during processing, packaging, shipping, storage, and/or cooking. The device may be constructed of a unitary, plate-like member of resilient material and includes two openings for fitting about and retaining the hocks, an anchor to be affixed to the poultry carcass, and a connecting means between the hock retaining members and the anchor. The connecting members provide a spring force to keep the hocks and thus the legs juxtaposed to the carcass and each other.
Thus, there is always a need for a hock retainer generally for trussing poultry carcasses and specifically for fitting about the hocks so as to hold the legs proximal to each other and to the body of the carcass. There also is always a need for a relatively simple device that can be manufactured simply and inexpensively, and easily is mounted on and dismounted from the hocks. There additionally is always a need for a hock retainer that is less labor-intensive to attach to the poultry and allows more throughput per worker. There further always is a need for a hock retainer that has less interaction or contact with packaging materials. It is to these needs and others that the present invention is directed.